The Parmenter Foundation proudly announces that it has made a $10,000 grant to The MetroWest Free Medical Program (MWFMP) in Sudbury for their “Close the GAP” program. The goal of this new program is to Guarantee Access to healthcare Programming for the most vulnerable in our community. The MWFMP plans to meet its goal by enhancing volunteer recruitment to add more physicians and registered nurse volunteers; expanding on-site testing services such as diabetes and heart disease testing; collaborating with new community healthcare partners that can provide patients with access to testing that is not available at the clinic; and creating a fund to assist patients with accessing diagnostic testing such as mammograms, x-rays and ultrasounds. The MWFMP estimates that the Close the GAP program will reach approximately 800 un/underinsured patients in 2018.

“Despite the successes of health insurance reform, thousands of individuals and families either fall through the cracks of the system and aren’t eligible for insurance, or they can’t find a doctor that takes their type of coverage” says Executive Director, Kim Prendergast. “Demand for our services is up 50% in the last year. Our program engages dedicated volunteer health care providers to assure that all people have access to care, regardless of their ability to pay – and this support is vital to equipping those volunteers to provide care to people who desperately need it.”

The MetroWest Free Medical Program was established in Sudbury in 2004 as an outreach program of Congregation Beth El. It is a volunteer-physician led program providing free health care services to the medically underserved in Metrowest. The program expanded to Framingham in 2008 and created a Vision and a Women’s Health program. With over 250 volunteer physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, health educators and more, the MetroWest Free Medical Program serves over 1,000 patients per year with over 1,800 medical visits. For more information, please visit www.metrowestfreemedicalprogram.org

The Parmenter Foundation proudly announces that it has made a $10,000 grant to Advocates in Framingham, MA to support their new initiative: Behavioral Health Partners MetroWest (BHPMW). The BHPMW is an exciting new entity comprised of partners from four leading social service and behavioral health agencies, including: Advocates; South Middlesex Opportunity Council; Spectrum Health Systems and Wayside Youth & Family Support Network. BHPMW leverages the vast existing expertise of Metrowest behavioral and social service agencies to provide individuals, families and health care providers a single point of entry for a broad range of services. The goal of BHPMW is to provide Metrowest residents, healthcare professionals, and other service providers streamlined access to expertise in the complex areas of mental health, substance use and addiction, housing and social supports for people of all ages. Care Coordinators on staff match individuals in need to the appropriate services provided by the partner agencies and other community resources. For assistance or more information, please contact BHPMW toll-free at 1-844-528-6800 or go to www.bhpmw.info.

“We are thrilled to be able to help bring this new agency to the Metrowest community,” says Michael Halloran, Executive Director of The Parmenter Foundation. Halloran goes on to note that, “this important initiative is very much in line with our goal to help families better cope with serious illness, death or hardship.” The Parmenter Foundation is an independent non-profit corporation dedicated to creating, supporting, implementing and promoting programs and activities that enhance the health and well-being of the Metrowest communities. The Parmenter Foundation relies solely on private funding to carry out its mission.

The Parmenter Foundation of Wayland recently received $8,500 in total donations from three generous donors to support the Parmenter Food Pantry. The Parmenter Food Pantry provides over 5,000 meals per year to Wayland residents in need. While many local organizations and residents donate canned goods and non-perishable items, monies are necessary for purchasing fresh meat and produce. These charitable donations represent approximately one-quarter of the annual cost to operate the The Parmenter Food Pantry.

The three recent donations were made by the following: The Wayland Depot donated $2,500. It is a charitable organization that sells wonderful handcrafted items and gifts made by local and regional artists and uses the proceeds to benefit the Wayland community. Middlesex Savings Bank donated $1,000 and supports local organizations that strive to build a better community. The final $5,000 donor is an anonymous local family foundation that has been a long-term supporter The Parmenter Food Pantry.

“We are both thankful and proud to have received these recent donations supporting the Parmenter Food Pantry,” said The Parmenter Foundation Executive Director Michael Halloran. “It affords us a great opportunity provide necessary food and toiletries to the most vulnerable population in our community. The goal of The Parmenter Foundation is to help families cope during difficult times – The Parmenter Food Pantry does just that.”

The Parmenter Foundation proudly announces that it has made a grant to The MetroWest Free Medical Program in Sudbury to provide health education to uninsured patients at their Sudbury free clinic with the goal of improving health behaviors and, ultimately, health status.

The MetroWest Free Medical Program was established in Sudbury in 2004 as an outreach program of Congregation Beth El. It is a volunteer-physician led program providing free health care services to the medically underserved in Metrowest. The program expanded to Framingham in 2008 and created a Vision and a Women’s Health program. With over 250 volunteer physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, health educators and more, the MetroWest Free Medical Program serves over 1,000 patients per year with over 1,500 medical visits. For more information, please visit www.metrowestfreemedicalprogram.org

The Parmenter Foundation is an independent non-profit corporation dedicated to creating, supporting, implementing and promoting programs and activities that enhance the health and well-being of the Metrowest communities. It is their goal to help families better cope with serious illness, death or hardship. The Parmenter Foundation relies solely on private funding to carry out its mission. For more information or to give, please visit www.parmenterfoundation.org.

The Parmenter Foundation hosted its 13th Annual Holiday Concert and Luncheon at the Weston Golf Club on December 4th to benefit The Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence in Wayland. Cindy Mayher, Executive Director of The Parmenter Foundation and former CEO of Parmenter VNA, was honored in her retirement after 27 years of dedicated and compassionate service to our community. During that time, she championed the need for a local hospice residence, quality adult and children’s bereavement services, and a superior food pantry. Antoinette M. Hays, President of Regis College, recalled Cindy’s advocacy for those at the end of their life and their families. She recalled, in particular, many trips that she and Cindy took to the Town of Wayland to communicate the importance of a local residential hospice. Cindy’s passion shined through and not long after, a six room hospice was opened in Wayland. The program finished with the Weston High School Orchestra playing beautiful holiday music in the festively decorated ballroom.